Pound Refused To Let Me View A Dog

[darlingdog]

Hi everyone, I am reasonably new to rescue having only been involved this year. We are a small group who does breed rescue and most of our breed comes up in NSW or Victoria for the most part.We have a good working relationship with a half dozen shelters or pounds and so far all is going well. I am in QLD and for the first time a picture came up on the local pound site that looked like it may be our breed but it was hard to tell from the picture so I phoned and said I was from a breed rescue and that the xbreed they had on the site may be a purebred and would it be ok to come over and look at the dog. Yes fine and I was told the opening hours. I drove over an hour later only to be told that the dog was definately a cross breed and as I was not the owner I could not see the dog. The dog was a stray and is not chipped. It has been there I think for more than 2 weeks. My question to those more experienced than I....is this normal practice that I was not allowed to see the dog ?? I was pleasant and polite, , normal middle aged woman who does not look dodgy ( LOL I hope ! )and I have 4 of my own dogs of this breed all desexed and legal and registered.....I don't get it ????

[RuralPug]

Council can sometimes suffer from Savemybuttitis, an insidious infection common in all levels of government. If there is not an actual ruling that something is allowed, it is disallowed automatically.

You would think that anyone with half a brain would welcome an expert in a breed just in case they were listing the dog incorrectly as a cross breed when the owners were doing a frantic search for their Ceylonese Couch Dog or whatever. Unless of course someone's ego maintains that if he/she has pronounced it a mixed breed, then so shall it stay forevermore...

If you have a contact who is resident in that council's area, ask them to enquire of their local councillor who may be able to organise permission for you or you could just contact the council CEO direct and ask.

[darlingdog]

Council can sometimes suffer from Savemybuttitis, an insidious infection common in all levels of government. If there is not an actual ruling that something is allowed, it is disallowed automatically.

You would think that anyone with half a brain would welcome an expert in a breed just in case they were listing the dog incorrectly as a cross breed when the owners were doing a frantic search for their Ceylonese Couch Dog or whatever. Unless of course someone's ego maintains that if he/she has pronounced it a mixed breed, then so shall it stay forevermore...

If you have a contact who is resident in that council's area, ask them to enquire of their local councillor who may be able to organise permission for you or you could just contact the council CEO direct and ask.

Actually I AM resident in this area, it's my local pound ! I had thought to contact my local council rep as you suggest so I think that is what I will do. Thank you for the reply...I thought it was strange and could not surely be usual practice but being a newbie just wanted to check.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Sorry I may be a bit naive but can 't anyone look at dogs in the pound if they are interested? Perhaps just go along with someone else and don't tell them you are with "breed rescue" or whatever.

[Dame Aussie]

Sorry I may be a bit naive but can 't anyone look at dogs in the pound if they are interested? Perhaps just go along with someone else and don't tell them you are with "breed rescue" or whatever.

Not exactly. Where I used to work we got people coming in looking for a cheap dog, they'd just pick a stray and say it was theirs so they could get it for the release fee only.

So because of that you would have to actually have lost a dog and have to give all the details before you could go through and look at the strays.

[Greytmate]

In QLD it pays to build a relationship with the pounds and the RSPCA so they know what it is that you do. Otherwise how do they know you are not just a dealer, picking out the valuable dogs and selling them for profit?

The RSPCA had a register of breed rescues that they could call on, I'm not sure if that still exists.

The RSPCA still charges a fee to rescue groups, and the dog is desexed and assessed before it is allowed to go. Pounds have their own procedures as to how they sell their excess dogs.

They are wary about dogs going to dealers or breeders, so they may have a policy of only selling dogs directly into homes.

If I were you I would start writing to these places, and include links to your website, your policies and procedures, and anything else that demonstrates that you are running an ethical rescue organisation. Before you go in and ask to take dogs.

[darlingdog]

In QLD it pays to build a relationship with the pounds and the RSPCA so they know what it is that you do. Otherwise how do they know you are not just a dealer, picking out the valuable dogs and selling them for profit?

The RSPCA had a register of breed rescues that they could call on, I'm not sure if that still exists.

The RSPCA still charges a fee to rescue groups, and the dog is desexed and assessed before it is allowed to go. Pounds have their own procedures as to how they sell their excess dogs.

They are wary about dogs going to dealers or breeders, so they may have a policy of only selling dogs directly into homes.

If I were you I would start writing to these places, and include links to your website, your policies and procedures, and anything else that demonstrates that you are running an ethical rescue organisation. Before you go in and ask to take dogs.

The RSPCA do still have that register for breed rescue....we are on it in NSW and waiting to speak with the rescue co ordinator for Wacol as she has been away. We have pulled dogs from RSPCA, AWL and Lost dogs home with no problems working with the rescue co ordinators there but most of these have been in NSW predominantly, and then Victoria...this was my first experience in my own local area. I agree with you that I need to develop a working relationship with the local pound and I have asked to register our group with them just as you suggest and I agree with you that is the right thing to do. I did not go in and ask to take the dog.....I asked if I could see the dog to determine it's breed and said if it was one of ours that I would like to help the dog. I still think that is a reasonable request as I have 4 desexed dogs of the breed registered in this shire and a licence to have them..something they could have checked on very very easily as 5 minutes before I had paid the renewal registrations. I have not been doing this for very long and I have a bit of trouble getting my head around people thinking the worst ( from their past bad experiences with people ) and then moving up from there....but I will get the hang of it in time !

[Greytmate]

In QLD it pays to build a relationship with the pounds and the RSPCA so they know what it is that you do. Otherwise how do they know you are not just a dealer, picking out the valuable dogs and selling them for profit?

The RSPCA had a register of breed rescues that they could call on, I'm not sure if that still exists.

The RSPCA still charges a fee to rescue groups, and the dog is desexed and assessed before it is allowed to go. Pounds have their own procedures as to how they sell their excess dogs.

They are wary about dogs going to dealers or breeders, so they may have a policy of only selling dogs directly into homes.

If I were you I would start writing to these places, and include links to your website, your policies and procedures, and anything else that demonstrates that you are running an ethical rescue organisation. Before you go in and ask to take dogs.

The RSPCA do still have that register for breed rescue....we are on it in NSW and waiting to speak with the rescue co ordinator for Wacol as she has been away. We have pulled dogs from RSPCA, AWL and Lost dogs home with no problems working with the rescue co ordinators there but most of these have been in NSW predominantly, and then Victoria...this was my first experience in my own local area. I agree with you that I need to develop a working relationship with the local pound and I have asked to register our group with them just as you suggest and I agree with you that is the right thing to do. I did not go in and ask to take the dog.....I asked if I could see the dog to determine it's breed and said if it was one of ours that I would like to help the dog. I still think that is a reasonable request as I have 4 desexed dogs of the breed registered in this shire and a licence to have them..something they could have checked on very very easily as 5 minutes before I had paid the renewal registrations. I have not been doing this for very long and I have a bit of trouble getting my head around people thinking the worst ( from their past bad experiences with people ) and then moving up from there....but I will get the hang of it in time !

Some QLD councils don't have very good attitudes towards multi-dog owners, regardless of how responsible they are. Possibly because there are so many irresponsible ones, keeping more dogs than what they are allowed to and making a lot of noise. Some of the councils view multi dog ownership as a threat to development or a threat to wildlife. Some councils are supportive of ethical rescue, some are supportive of any rescue and some are quite anti-rescue. They view rescue as being something like a Crazy Dog Lady /Hoaders/Market stall holder. Because there are people that fit that description.

There are some great rescues in QLD, and there are plenty of dog dealers, and some really dodgy and unethical 'rescues'. Unfortunately your breed is sought after by some people for breeding pig dogs.

I don't think you have done the wrong thing at all. I found attitudes surprising when I first came to QLD, and had to do a lot of relationship building. I also had to realise that my own groups' reputation would be tarnished by the actions of other groups around.

So many councils in QLD, you will have to find out from each one who to address a letter to and do a big mail out introducing your group and what it does. Also, some councils will not really allow dogs over the limit, even if they are short term foster dogs, so find out what steps you will have to take to allow you to foster at home.

Good luck with this.

[darlingdog]

In QLD it pays to build a relationship with the pounds and the RSPCA so they know what it is that you do. Otherwise how do they know you are not just a dealer, picking out the valuable dogs and selling them for profit?

The RSPCA had a register of breed rescues that they could call on, I'm not sure if that still exists.

The RSPCA still charges a fee to rescue groups, and the dog is desexed and assessed before it is allowed to go. Pounds have their own procedures as to how they sell their excess dogs.

They are wary about dogs going to dealers or breeders, so they may have a policy of only selling dogs directly into homes.

If I were you I would start writing to these places, and include links to your website, your policies and procedures, and anything else that demonstrates that you are running an ethical rescue organisation. Before you go in and ask to take dogs.

The RSPCA do still have that register for breed rescue....we are on it in NSW and waiting to speak with the rescue co ordinator for Wacol as she has been away. We have pulled dogs from RSPCA, AWL and Lost dogs home with no problems working with the rescue co ordinators there but most of these have been in NSW predominantly, and then Victoria...this was my first experience in my own local area. I agree with you that I need to develop a working relationship with the local pound and I have asked to register our group with them just as you suggest and I agree with you that is the right thing to do. I did not go in and ask to take the dog.....I asked if I could see the dog to determine it's breed and said if it was one of ours that I would like to help the dog. I still think that is a reasonable request as I have 4 desexed dogs of the breed registered in this shire and a licence to have them..something they could have checked on very very easily as 5 minutes before I had paid the renewal registrations. I have not been doing this for very long and I have a bit of trouble getting my head around people thinking the worst ( from their past bad experiences with people ) and then moving up from there....but I will get the hang of it in time !

Some QLD councils don't have very good attitudes towards multi-dog owners, regardless of how responsible they are. Possibly because there are so many irresponsible ones, keeping more dogs than what they are allowed to and making a lot of noise. Some of the councils view multi dog ownership as a threat to development or a threat to wildlife. Some councils are supportive of ethical rescue, some are supportive of any rescue and some are quite anti-rescue. They view rescue as being something like a Crazy Dog Lady /Hoaders/Market stall holder. Because there are people that fit that description.

There are some great rescues in QLD, and there are plenty of dog dealers, and some really dodgy and unethical 'rescues'. Unfortunately your breed is sought after by some people for breeding pig dogs.

I don't think you have done the wrong thing at all. I found attitudes surprising when I first came to QLD, and had to do a lot of relationship building. I also had to realise that my own groups' reputation would be tarnished by the actions of other groups around.

So many councils in QLD, you will have to find out from each one who to address a letter to and do a big mail out introducing your group and what it does. Also, some councils will not really allow dogs over the limit, even if they are short term foster dogs, so find out what steps you will have to take to allow you to foster at home.

Good luck with this.

Thanks Greytmate for the encouragment. Yes I do see how I will have to feel my way. I had a very positive meeting with the RSPCA rescue co ordinator today and she is in fact releasing a dog to me this week so hopefully I can do the same with other organisations up here. Re the pig dog breeders yes it saddens me that our lovely breed is used. I personally adopted a puppy farm bitch from Sydney recently who had been used as a breeding machine to breed pig hunters by mating her to mastiffs. I can only speculate on how a quality bitch like her came to be in that situation. Thanks again. Cheers.